Work-holding device



Dec. 1a, 1928. 1,695,321

C. E. CONNER WORK HOLDING DEVICE Filed May 29, 1924 Patented Dec. 18, 1928.

UNITED STATES r orrics.

CHARLES E. CONNER, OF AUBURN, MAINE, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEWJERSEY, A CORFORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

WORK-HOLDING DEVICE.

Application filed May 29,

facilitate the insertion of a removable fas tener through the last and into the heel. for the purpose of securing the heel firmly 1n in place while permitting the shoe to be freely manipulated in the performance of further operations thereon. The invention, in certain aspects, is not necessarily restricted,however, to use in connection with the attachment :5 of heels-to shoes but is capable of embodiment in worlt holding devices of various sorts adapted to receive an article'such as a last or a shoe in one position and subsequently to reverse or change the position of the article. In Patent No. 1,615,258, patented January 25, 1927, by Maurice V. Bresnahan, there is described and claimed a method of attaching heels to shoes, and machines adapted for practisingthis method are disclosed in Pat- 5 ents, 1,502,014, patented July 22, 1924:, and

1,664,657, patented April 3, 1928, by Frederic E. Bertrand. The Bresnahan method is particularly adapted for attaching wood heels and involves the used a last having,

in addition to the usual last thimble hole, a

perforation extending from the top of the cone to the bottom of the heelof the last. In practis'ngthis method, as exemplified in the application first mentioned, a shoe is placed 5 upon a ast anda heel is located upon the shoe with a film of adhesive between the heel'and.

the shoe. The assembled shoe and heel are then rigidly supported and held together under a clamping pressure while a hole is 0 bored in the heel by a tool inserted through located upon the inverted shoe theshoe is removed from the last pin and manually transferred to a support upon which it is placed in upright position and securely held dulin the boring of, the hole in the heel and the subsequent. insertion of the fastener,

1924. Serial No. 716,672.

lVhile the shoe is being transferred and turned as just described, the workman holds the shoe by one hand in such a manner that his lingers engage the curved sides of the heel and constitute the sole means for holding the heel in place. In order firmly to hold the shoe upon the support and to clampv together the shoe and heel for the boring of the hole in the heel and the insertion of the fastener through the perforationin the last, pressure is applied to the cone of the last in a direction to secure the desiredclamping together of the shoe and heel and to seat the heel against the support. After the fastener has been inserted, the clamping pressure above referred to is released to permit the removal of the shoe. The fastener then serves to hold the heel securely in place, permitting the shoe to be passed along through the factory and freely manipulatedwhile various finishing operations are performed upon the shoe.

Qne object'of the, present invention is to insure against the possibility of the heel becoming accidentally displaced relatively to the shoe after it has been initially positioned I upon the shoe and before the shoe and the last and the heel are temporarily clamped together and supported in position for the boring" of the hole in the heel and'the insertion of the heel fastener. V

l fith this object in view, one feature of the invention comprises means for holding a shoe bottom upward for the convenient and accurate positioning of a heel thereon, said means being rotatable about an axis extending through the shoe to reposition the shoe bottom downward for the performance of an opera tion such as a heel-attaching operation there on, and means for holding the heel securely in place upon the shoe during said. repositioning of the shoe and during the performance said operation. I a

In the illustrated embodiment ofthe' invention, the shoe supporting and heel clamping means comprises a pair of arms carried by a head which is ournaled in a stationary support for rotatable adjustment about a horizontal axi One of the shoe supporting arms carries a last pin adapted to be received in the thimble hole of a last upon which the shoe mounted and this armalso carries a yieldable forepart'rest for supporting the forepa'rt of the shoe.- The other arm is adaptedtoengage the tread faces, of the s le 5nd heel, The

arm carryine the last pin is pivoted to the head and is spring-pressed toward the heelengaging arm to clamp the heel against the shoe. The heel-engaging arm is swiveled to the head torswinging movement in a plane perpendicular to the path 01 movement of the other arm so that it may be swung to one side to facilitate the placing; of the shoe upon the last pin and the removal of the shoe therefrom and to enable the heel to be conveniently located upon the shoe bottom. By means of the above-described device, the shoe initially may be supported bottom uppermost so that the heel may be convenient ly and accurately positioned thereon and then the rotatable head may he turned bodily to position the shoe right side up or otherwise so as to present the cone of the last in a convenient position for the boring ot the hole in the heel througl'i the perforation in the last and for the insertion of the fastener, the sole andhecl tread 'lace engaging arm having been positioned to hold the heel firmly in place during the repositioning of the shoe and heel and insertion of the fastener. The arm carrying'the last pin is so designed that no portion of the arm overlies the perforation .in the last tointerfere with the insertion of the fastener therethrough. 7

Other objects of the invention and features of construction by which they are obtained will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment oi: the in vention and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the device showing a lasted shoe supported thereby in proximity to a drill and a fastener driving implement such as those employed in heel attaching machines of the type disclosed in the above-mentioned Bertrand applications; and

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the dev showing a. lasted shoe supported thereby inverted position, the sole and heel-eng ing arm of the device having been swung to one side to facilitate the operation of locating the,

heel upon the shoe.

Referring to the drzmving's the device therein shown comprises a frame i, a head 6 supported by the frame and adapted to be turned about a horizontal axis, and a pair oil? opposed shoe supporting and clamping; arms 8 and 10 carried the head. The t1, anie t consists of a flat base 12 and a short upright portion rising from one end of the base to support a horizontal bearing 16% within which is ournaled a hub 1.6 carried by the head 6. T he base 12 may be securech by means of bolts 18, to a bench 01' table 20 such as the heel supporting table shown in the aboveanentioned Bertrand applications. Axial moven'ient of the hub 16 in one direction within the hearing 14: is prevented by engagement of the head 6 with one end of the bearing 14., an d in the opposite direction by means of a collar 22 which is rigidly secured to the hub 16 in position to engage the opposite end of the bearing 14.

At one side of its axis of rotation the head 6-is bored to receive a pin 2% upon the projecting ends of which is pivoted the forked inner extremity of the clamping arm 8. At the opposite side of its rotational. axis the headti is formed with a wing portion 26 carrying a stud 28 upon which is swivele l one end of the clamping arm 10. The pivot pin 24: and the stud 28 extend at right angles to each other and each is disposed at right angles to the axis of rotation 01 the-head 6 the arrangement being such that the arm 8 is capable of limited movement toward and from the arm 10, while the arm 10 is adapted to be swung in a plane at right angles to the path ofmovement of the arm 8. y

The clamping arm 8 carries at its free extremity a last pin 30 for entcringthe thimble hole of a last, such as shown at 32. The arm 8 is also provided with a forepart rest 3 L for engaging the torepartof a shoe 36 mounted upon the last. As shown, the last pin 30 is provided with a shank portion which is bent substantially at right angles to the last engaging portion thereof and which received in a socket in the tree end of the arm 8 and is rigidly but adjustably secured in the socket by means of set screws 38. This mounting of the last pin enables it to be adjusted lon ltudinally of the arm 8, the better to accommodate shoes of different sizes.

The forepart rest 34 comprises pad which'may be made oi i'elt or other suitable material and which, as shown, is mounted upon a block 10 carried by two parallel nupporting; rods 42 that are slid-ably recei "'l guideways torn'ied in a lateralprojoct in it on the arm 8. The forepart rest is adapted to be pressed against the shoe by a of springs d6 encirclingthe rods 42 between the projection si l and the block -l0. Tue rods extend tln'ouglrthe arm 8 and are provided with nuts 4-8 which limit the movement t the rods under the influence of tlie springs 4th. This construction permits the forepai t t to yield to accommodate shoes havinp; fore-- parts of different thicknesses.

In order that the one sh :l be firmly held between the arms 8 and 10. and to insure that the heel 50 shall be securely clamped to the shoe provision is made tor yield' fly pressing the arm 8 toward the arm llhis yielding pressure is supplied by Hi coiled spring 52 encircling a rod of; which extends through an axial opening in the hub 16, the spring: hearing at one end age the hub and at the opposite end a washer backed up by a nut 56 which is threaded upon the rod 54: and may be turned to vary the tension of the spri The rod 54 extends forwardly through the hub 16 and through the head 6 and at its forward extremity is pivoted to one arm of a bell-crank lever 58 which is fulcrumed at 60 between ears 62 projecting from the head 6. The other arm of the bell-crank lever 58 bears against a lug 64 formed on the projection 44. WVhen no shoe is present between the arms of the clamping device, the force of the spring 52 will hold the arm 8 against stop faces 66 formed upon the ears 62. After a shoe has been positioned'upon the last pin and forepart rest the arm 8 must be depressed or moved somewhat away from the arm 10 to enable the latter to be swung into position to engage the bottom of the sole and tread face of the heel so as to co-operate with the arm 8 to hold the shoe and clamp the heel in place. The movement of the arm 8 just referred to compresses the spring 52 which then supplies the clamping pressure to hold the shoe and heel during the turning of the holding device and subsequent operations in connection with the inserting of the fastener. If desired a treadle may be connected with the arm 8 for supplying the clamping pressure.

The apparatus is shown in Fig. 2 with the shoe holding devices positioned to support the shoe bottom uppermost and with the sole and heel engaging arm 10 swung to one side so that the thimble hole of the last may be readily placed upon the last pin and the forepart of the shoe located upon the forepart rest 34. The shoe is then supported in a convenient position for the accurate positioning of the heel upon the shoe bottom. After the heel has been properly located thereon, the arm 10 is swung back into alinement with the arm 8 to engage the tread faces of the sole and heel, the arm having first been laterally displaced against the force of the spring 52 to permit the arm 10 to be swung into operative position. The spring 52 will then become effective to press the arm 8 toward the arm 10 as above described, and there will be no danger of the heel becomshoe, or of the shoe slipping relatively to its supporting means. After the shoe and heel have been clamped in the manner just described, the head 6 may be turned to move the shoe holding devices into the position shown in Fig. 1 so as topresent the shoe in upright position for the insertion of a drill 68 through the perforation 70 in the last to bore a hole 7 2 in the heel, and for the subsequent insertion of a screw fastener M by means such as the fastener driving tool 76, the drill 68 and the tool 76 herein shown being parts of a heel attaching machine of the type shown in the hereinbefore mentioned Bertrand applications. Obviously, however, the herein described device may advantageously be used to support a shoe and heel for the application of fastening means by the use of'othermachines than those of the type mentioned, or for the manual appli cation of the fasteners if desired, or for other operations which it may be desirable to perform upon the shoe or heel after the heel has been properly located with respect to the shoe, but before it has been permanently sesured thereto. In order that the arm 10 shall rigidly support the shoe against the thrust of devices such the drill 68 and the tool 76, said arm is extended 'rearwardly be- I yond the pivot 28 to provide a substantial area of bearing surface against the head 6. After the fastener has-been inserted, the device may be turned to reposition the shoe bot tom uppermost. The arm 10 may then be swung to one side as shown in Fig. 2 and the shoe may be readily removed by lifting it from the last pin.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a device of the class described, a stationary support, a member carried by the support for holding a'shoe in position for the assembling of a heel therewith, a second mem her for holding the heel in place upon the shoe, said members being movable in unison to: reposition the assembled shoe and heel for the performance of a subsequent operation thereon, and yielding means for urging one of said members toward the other to clamp the heel to the shoe.

2 In a device for use in attaching heels to lasted shoes, the combination with a stationary support, of means carried thereby en gageable with the last and with the forepart of the upper for holding a lasted shoe bottom upwards for the positioning of a heel thereon, said means being movable to reposition the shoe bot-tom downward for the performance of a heel attaching operation, and n'ieans movable into engagement with the heel and the sole of the shoe to support the shoe during I'G}i!OSll1l0l1lIlg thereof and the performance of said operation. ing accidentally displaced relatively to the 8. In a device for use in attaching heels, the combination with a stationary support, of means carried thereby for holding a lasted shoe for the positioning of a heel thereon, said means being rotatable about an axis extending lengthwise of the shoe to reposition the shoe and heel for the performance of a heel' shoe upper to hold the shoe bottom upward for the positioning of a heel thereon, said means being movable to reposition the shoe bottom downward for the insertion of a fastener through the last and into the heel, and means for engaging the heel and the bottom of the sole of the shoe to hold the heel in place upon the shoe and assist in supporting the shoe durin therepositioning of the shoe and the insertioi'r pf the fastener.

5. ln d or use in attaching heels, the combine. on with a stationary frame, of rotatable means mounted in said frame for engaging both the heel and toe ends of a lasted shoe to hold the shoe inverted with its heel scat face conveniently accessible for the positioning of a heel thereon, said means being movable to reposition the shoe right side up for the insertion of a fastener through the last and into the heel, and a member movable into engagement with the tread faces of the sole and heel. to co-operate with said. means to support the shoe and rl amp the heel thereon during the repositioning of the shoe and the insertion of the fastener,

6. In a device for usein attaching heels to lasted shoes, the combination with a stationary support, of a rotary devicemovable into one position for supporting a lasted shoe for the convenient and accurate locating of a heel thereon and-thereafter rotatable about an axis extending lengthwise of the shoe to reposition the shoe and heel for the insert-ion of a fastener through the last and into the heel, and a member constructed and arranged to engage the tread face of the heel and bottom of the sole of the shoe for co-operatingwith sa'h ll vice to clamp the heel to the shoe and to assist in holding the shoe during the repositioning thereof and subsequent insertion of the fastener, said member being displaceable to facil' t the positioning of the heel and the insertion and removal of the shoe.

'i'. in a device for use in attaching heels, the combination with a stationary support, of a rotatable head mounted therein, an arm arriedby said head, means carried by said arm for supporting a lasted shoe, a second arm carried by the head for engagement with the l. ottom of the sole and tread face of a heel placed in position upon the shoe, one of said arms being ll'lOVillJiQ relatively to the other in a direction to clamp the heel to the shoe and to clamp the shoe between the arms,

and means for applying clamping pressure to one of said arms,

8. ln a device for use in attaching heels, the combination with a stationary support of a rotatable head mounted therein, an arm pivoted to said head for movement about an at r' z ht angles to the axis of rotation of the hen u, means carried by said arm for support ing a lasted shoe, a second arm carried by the head for engagement with the bottom of the sole and the tread face of a heel positioned upon the shoe to clamp the heel to the shoe, the second arm being rigidly held against movement in the plane of movement of the first arm but mounted to move freely at right angles to said plane of movement, and a spring arranged to press the first arm in a direction to co-operatewith the second arm to clamp the shoe and heel.

9. In a device for use in'attaching heels, the combination with a stationary support of a rotatable head carried by said support, an arm carried by said head, a last pin and a forepart rest carried by said arm for engagement with the last and the forepart of the shoe, respectively, to support the shoe upside down for the positioning of a heel thereon, said head being movable to reposition the shoe right side up for the insertion of a fastener through the last and into the heel, and means engngeable with the bottom face of the sole to co-operate with the forepart and engagcable with the tread face of the heel to co-operate with the last pin to support the shoe and clamp the heel thereon during the turning of the shoe and the insertion of the fastener.

10. In a device for use in attaching a heel to a shoe mounted upon a last having the usual thimblc hole, means for engaging a heel applied to the shoe, a last pin for entering the thimble hole in the last, an arm supporting the last pin movable toward and from said heel engaging means, a stationary support, a rotatable head journaled in saidsupport and carrying said arm and said heel engaging means, said head being movable to reposition the shoe, and means for moving said arm to clamp the heel to the shoe.

11. A dcvice'for use in attaching heels tatable relatively to said support, opposed clan'ipii'ig arms carried by said. member, one of said arms being movable toward the other arm and. being provided with means for supporting a lasted shoe by engagement with the last and the other .of said arms being adapted to engage the bottom of the sole of the shoe and the tread face of a heel positioned upon the shoe and being displaceablc in a plane at right angles to the plane of movement of the other arm to facilitate the introduction and removal of the shoe and the positioning of the heel thereon, and means forapplying pressure to the last engaging arm to clamp the heel. to the shoe in assembled relation.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES n. comma 

